Infectious disease expert to speak at American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual meeting

The Jackson Memorial Lecture is named after Edward Jackson, MD, who was professor and chairman of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado, president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology in 1903, and the first chairman of what is now the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease usually transmitted by ingestion of undercooked meat, especially lamb and pork, or unwashed vegetables contaminated with dirt containing cat feces. The parasite reproduces in the gut of the cat, but can infect many animals. Recently it has also been shown that some outbreaks of the disease were caused by contaminated drinking water, a previously unrecognized source of infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, "More than 60 million people in the United States probably carry the Toxoplasma parasite, but very few have symptoms because the immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness." Toxoplasmosis can be life-threatening in immunocompromised individuals, but even healthy individuals can have permanent vision loss, if the parasite gets into the eye. Ocular toxoplasmosis is the most common infection of the retina (the inner lining of the eye) in many parts of the world, including the United States.

Dr. Holland's address will describe advances in the understanding of ocular toxoplasmosis, since it was first recognized as a cause of blindness in adults 50 years ago. He also will use these advances in the understanding of toxoplasmosis as a model for how an international and multidisciplinary approach to the study of disease, with the application of newly developed research tools, can expand our understanding of other common diseases. He has been involved in studies of ocular toxoplasmosis in Brazil and Europe, areas where the disease is more common than in the United States. "A better understanding of the disease will allow us to use available treatments more effectively," he said.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons – Eye M.D.s – with more than 27,000 members. For more information about the Annual Meeting, visit the Academy's Web site at www.aao.org/annual_meeting/.

Contact: For more information or for photos of the award recipients, contact the Academy's media unit at 415-561-8534 or by e-mail at media@aao.org. To register for media credentials to attend the Academy's Annual Meeting, visit www.aao.org/aao/newsroom/mediainfo.cfm.